Process of froth flotation



atented Sept. 25, 1934 .1 "w g PROCESS OF FROTH FLOTATION Ira H. Derbyand Orin D. Cunningham, Indianapolis, Ind., assignors to Peter C.Reilly, Indian apolis, Ind;

No Drawing. Application February 12, 1931,

Serial No. 515,400

6 Claims. (Cl. 209-166) The present invention relates to improvementsgood to those obtained with pure substances, in ore flotation, includingthe'flotation of sulfide cept that it is preferable to use anhydrousmateores, and other metalliferous material, by the use rials. of"nuclear phosphorous compounds containing Generally stated, it issuflicient to select the sulfur, that is, compounds structurallyconsisting desired tar acid or taracid constituent, and to of groups ofatoms (or radicals) united to one or react thereupon with phosphoruspentasulfide or more phosphorus atoms as anucleus, which comothersulfide of phosphorus, the reaction being pounds also contain sulfur.The invention is performed in a suitable container, and at a tembasedupon our observation that certain comperature sufiiciently high to causethe desired 10 pounds as described herein which structurally reaction totake place.

consist of phosphorus as a nucleus to which other For the preparation ofthe phosphosulfo comgroups of atoms (radicals) are attached, and poundsreferred to we give the following specific which contain sulfur,function as collecting example: agents and constitute a class ofcompounds that one part of powdered phosphorus pentasulfide 15 has notheretofore been used in the art of fiota- P285, is slowly mixed with 2-3parts of ordinary tion, tar acids and the mixture may be heated, if de-Thepresent application is in part a continuasired, to 100 C. orthereabout, with constant stirtion of our copending application SerialNo. 96,061 ring, and maintained at this temperature until the filedMarch 16, 1926 (now Patent No. 1,812,839, P285 has reacted with the taracids to an extent 20 June 30,1931). that it passes into solution. Theproduct is a More particularly, our present invention emtransparentsyrupy liquid. The amount of tar braces ore flotation while usingreagents containacids used may be varied arbitrarily so long as ingproducts of reaction of phosphorus sulfides there is-sufficient taracidpresent to react with (such as the trisulflde, Pass, orpentasulfide, P285) the P285 and leave the reaction product in a liquid25 with tar acids or constituents thereof. condition. If tar acid isused as the frothing The reactions of the phosphorus sulfides, for agentin the flotation operation, the P285 may be example, phosphoruspentasulfide, P255, with tar combined with the tar acids in such aproportion acids may result in the formation of a single asto formareagent combining both frothing and chemical substance with two or morephosphorus collecting properties.

sa 30 atoms as anucleus of the molecular structure; or The proportion oftar acids in the above exthere may be a splitting of the molecule of theample corresponds to an excess over that required phosphorus sulfidecompound to yield two or more for the reaction with phosphoruspentasulfide, products each containing one or more nuclear the excess oftar acids acting as a solvent or rephosphorus atoms; or the reaction mayor may action medium which may be recovered, if so 35 not involve theelimination of some of the sulfur desired, by distillation, preferablyby vacuum disof the phosphorus sulfide in the form of hydrogentillation, since continued heating at elevated temsulflde by thesubstitution of groups of atoms perature carries the reaction too far.(radicals) the resulting product or products being We do not limit ourclaims to the proportions or characterized, however, by the presence ofa nuquantities of materials as given in the above 40 clear phosphorusatom or atoms and the presence example. of sulfur in the molecularstructure. The general procedure indicated in. the above Thephosphnsulfo compounds above referred to example may be applied inchemically combining possess a very high selective action (or collectingphosphorus pentasulfide with any tar acid or conpower) for metalliferousmaterials, such as sulstituent thereof. In some instances heat may be 45fide minerals, in mineral froth flotation operaapplied to bring aboutthe desired chemical comtions. Pine oil and tar acids constitutesuitable bination, and in other cases the reaction mixture frothingagents that may be employed in conmay desirably be cooled to carry onthe reaction junction therewith. in the cold (i. e. at about normal roomtempera- I'hese phosphosulfo compounds can be used ture) 50 either aloneor mixed with other oily materials The product obtained by the reactionof tar having flotation value, or with solvent agents or acids withphosphorus pentasulfide, as illustrated mixtures of the same. in theabove example, was employed in the flota- It is not necessary thatchemically pure subtion of a copper sulfide ore of the UtahCopperstances be used since the unrefined products can Company (containingsome copper oxides and be employed with metallurgical results equallyanalyzing about 0.9% copper) in the ratio of one tenth pound of productman of dry ore; tar

' acids as a frothing agent and a lime circuit bein employed inconjunction therewith; The ore .was subjected'to the 'ordinary flotationoperation .in a mechanical agitation type of flotation machine ,and atailinganalyzing' 0.06% copper was obtained, together with a high gradeconcentrate analyzing about 20% copper, corresponding to a recovery ofabout 95% of the copper value in the ore under treatment.

In other examples we have used both smaller and larger amounts of taracid phosphosulfo compounds, in the flotation of ores, with satisfactoryresults, and we have also used tar acid phos- .phosulfo compounds bothalone and with other flotationagents, with very .satisfactory results.

Furthermore, we do not limit our conditions for carrying out a flotationoperation to those included in the above example, but may use any typeof flotation machine, as for example, the Callow cell, or, instead of analkaline circuit, we may use a normal or acid circuit.

In the present case we have described the use to froth flotation in thepresence of anmioduct produced atv a temperature, not substantiallyabove 100 C., by' reaction of phosphorus sulflde with a tar acid.

2. In the art of froth flotation, the herein described step ofsubjecting metalliferous material to froth flotation. in the presence ofa reaction product produced at about 100 C., by reacting phosphoruspentasulflde (P285) with a tar acid.

3. In the art 6f froth flotation, the herein described step ofsubjecting metalliferous material to froth flotation in the presence ofa reaction product formed by reacting at not substantially above 100 0.,upon phosphorus pentasulflde (P255) with a tar acid constituent.

4. A process which comprises subjecting metalliferous material to frothflotation while associated with a product produced by reacting in thecold, with a phosphorus sulfide upon a tar acid constituent.

5. A process which comprises reacting a phosphorus sulfide with at leastone of the constituents of a tar acid at well below 100 C., adding theproduct to an ore material and subjecting the mixture tofroth-flotation.-

6. A process which comprises reacting a phosphorus sulfide with a taracid at well below 100 C., adding the reactionproduct to a metalliferousmaterial containing sulfide and, subjecting the mixture to frothflotation.

IRA H. DERBY. ORIN D. CUNNINGHAM.

